A Warning

"You jest, Madam. How would I know who threw that thing away?"

Zhu Qing's eyes flickered.

Lin Yunwan kept her head down and continued working the abacus.

After a while, Zhu Qing could no longer hold back. Looking miserable, she said, "Madam, I only wanted to lend you a hand."

Lin Yunwan said, "Is that so?"

Zhu Qing forced a smile. "Of course. I had my own reasons too."

She simply hated being kept in the dark. Lu Zhengliu had suddenly made her drink contraceptive medicine, while Ge Bao'er was all smiles. Even if she had read too much into it and targeted the wrong person, if Ge Bao'er was innocent, this could not harm her!

Lin Yunwan said mildly, "I don't care what you want to do for yourself. But you must be prepared to take responsibility for what you do."

"Zhu Qing, you won't be this lucky every time."

Zhu Qing lowered her head. "Yes, Madam. I won't dare act rashly again."

Ping Ye came in with a message. "Madam, that old servant has come to collect her reward."

Lin Yunwan had said she would reward her, and she would never go back on her word. She instructed, "Take her a handful of silver ingots."

Ping Ye took a handful of silver ingots from a chest and held them out to Lin Yunwan in both hands. "Madam, is this enough?"

It was a substantial amount. Lin Yunwan nodded and said it was enough.

The old servant's monthly allowance was nowhere near as much as that of the maids serving in the courtyard. Holding the handful of silver ingots, she examined them carefully in the moonlight. The silver gleamed, dazzling to behold!

Delighted, she called out loudly, "Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Madam!"

Ping Ye frowned and shooed her away. "It's so late. What are you shouting for? Hurry back."

After the old servant left, Zhu Qing left as well.

Outside, the two maids, Ping Ye and Tao Ye, had actually heard what their mistresses said.

"Concubine Zhu Qing really is no simple person. Madam, you should be on your guard against her."

Ping Ye was more outspoken, but she was simple at heart and feared dealing with people whose thoughts were so complicated.

Lin Yunwan said, "It's all right. She can't stir up any storms."

She understood Zhu Qing's character. As long as Zhu Qing did not oppose her, she would be a great help.

But if anyone offended Zhu Qing, her bite would hurt badly.

Fortunately, Lin Yunwan had brought Zhu Qing back first.

The next day.

Early that morning, Lin Yunwan instructed a maid, "Let me know when the Heir Apparent returns."

Tao Ye brightened. "Madam, are you going to see the Heir Apparent?"

"Yes, it's time I saw him."

Zhu Qing had made her move, so Lin Yunwan ought to let her have her wish. Only when Zhu Qing was satisfied would Ge Bao'er panic.

After agreeing, Tao Ye went to the Second Gate herself and told the old servant at the Gatehouse to keep a close watch and report to Drooping Silk Hall as soon as there was news.

When Lu Zhengliu returned home, he had to pay his respects to his elders, and he would also take the opportunity to see Ge Bao'er.

The moment the old servant saw him, she sprang to attention and ran to report to Lin Yunwan. She ran so hurriedly that it was as though she had seen a ghost.

Lu Zhengliu saw her and frowned.

Crazy old woman!

"Grandmother."

Lu Zhengliu entered the Hall of Longevity, only to see that Old Madam Lu's face was gray and she looked very unwell.

He took the threshold in two quick strides and asked with concern, "Grandmother, what's wrong?"

Nanny Yan sighed, looking as though she wanted to speak but hesitated.

Lu Zhengliu glanced toward the side room. "What trouble has she caused this time?" Had he not already let her have her way in everything?

Old Madam Lu did not want to go into detail. She only frowned and said, "Your Elder Sister and her family will be coming to stay in a few days. I told Bao'er not to go out to offer incense for the time being. Yun Wan has also given everyone in the residence a warning. As for you—I won't say any more. Mind your own conduct. Don't let people make a laughingstock of us."

At the word "laughingstock," Lu Zhengliu recalled the matters surrounding Qing's studies, and alarm bells rang in his heart.

"Yes, Grandmother, I understand. For the next few days, I won't go out without good reason either."

He was discreetly making it clear that he would no longer meet Ge Bao'er at the temple.

Old Madam Lu decided to say it outright. "Zhengliu, I was thinking... of having her stay at the temple to devote herself to religious practice for a while. What do you think? You know she isn't one to keep out of trouble. Once the relatives have left, we can bring her back."

Lu Zhengliu remained silent.

How could he fail to understand? This was Grandmother's soft-handed approach.

She said they would bring her back later, but when exactly would "later" be?

"Grandmother, if Qing wants his mother, what am I supposed to tell him?"

The Heir Apparent was so stubborn that even Nanny Yan found it hard to persuade him.

Old Madam Lu sighed. "I understand."

Lu Zhengliu left without another word.

Old Madam Lu's gaze sharpened. Gripping her prayer beads tightly, she said through clenched teeth, "If I weren't afraid of smashing the vase while trying to kill the rat, she wouldn't have lived this long!"

Nanny Yan added, "Send her to any estate at all, and with one word from you, her little life would be over."

"Ah, isn't it all for the Heir Apparent's sake?"

Old Madam Lu said helplessly, "First, wait until the Xia family is settled in, then deal with her. We need to think of a lasting solution. With all this trouble, time and again, these old bones of mine really can't take any more..."

Nanny Yan asked, "What lasting solution?"

Old Madam Lu sneered. "Doesn't she want to stay with the Lu family and spend the rest of her life with Zhengliu?"

"You want the Heir Apparent to take her as a concubine? How would he ever agree? And how would she?"

If they had been willing, they would have done it long ago!

Old Madam Lu gathered up her prayer beads and said coldly, "They'll agree whether they want to or not! Zhu Qing can be a concubine, so why can't she?"

Nanny Yan said worriedly, "How are we to explain this to Madam? Ge Bao'er is nominally your grandniece. If people find out you pushed your own 'grandniece' on the Heir Apparent as a concubine, neither you nor Madam will have any face left."

"I can't concern myself with face anymore. Once the raw rice is cooked and something comes of it, Zhengliu won't have anything to say, unless he wants Ge Bao'er dead."

"But we can't do this in front of the relatives. Otherwise, not only will we lose face, but our married eldest young lady will lose face before her mother-in-law too. The Lu family would be far too much of a laughingstock."

Nanny Yan soothed the old madam. "For now, rest and recover your spirits. Once the Xia family has left, we can take our time planning. There are plenty of days ahead, and we have all the time we need."

Old Madam Lu nodded. Her emotions had been in such turmoil these past few days that she coughed twice.

As Nanny Yan helped her settle down to rest, she muttered, "Tomorrow, I'll invite a physician to check your pulse... Autumn hasn't even begun. How have you started coughing already?"

As the sky darkened, lamps were lit throughout the Marquis's Residence.

On the quiet summer night, only the cicadas sang without cease.

Lu Zhengliu did not go to Rain Apricot Pavilion. Instead, he went to his study, never expecting to see Lin Yunwan at its door.

She stood beneath the covered walkway, a red lantern with a gauze shade hanging above her.

He walked over, his brows moving slightly. It was not a frown, and he could not say what he was feeling. "You... why are you here?"

Lin Yunwan turned around.

Lu Zhengliu asked, "What did you want to see me about?"

He pushed open the study door and said to Lin Yunwan, "Come in and speak."

Lin Yunwan did not step into his study. Standing outside the door, she said mildly, "I have only one thing to say. There's no need to go inside."

Lu Zhengliu looked at her. His face was stern, and ordinary servants were afraid of him.

But she was not afraid. Indeed, her bearing was even more imposing than his, especially those eyes of hers, bright and beautiful yet cool.

He could not understand how a woman of the inner household could have such a gaze.

It was as though she had seen a thousand sails pass and did not even regard her own husband.

"What is it? Go on."

Lu Zhengliu heard that his own voice was cool as well.

Lin Yunwan said evenly, "Please stop giving Zhu Qing the contraceptive medicine, Heir Apparent."

Lu Zhengliu stared straight at her and gave a cold laugh.

"You came to see me about that?"

Lin Yunwan asked him in return, "Surely you've heard the rumors, Heir Apparent? I truly cannot understand why you neglect your lawful wife and forbid your concubine to become pregnant."

"Is it because you have a secret you cannot tell anyone? Or is it as the rumors outside say—do you have an ailment, Heir Apparent?"

Lu Zhengliu's face darkened.

He had an ailment?

Was she saying he had a problem in that regard?

Lu Zhengliu walked up to her and said, word by word, "Lin Yunwan, I am your husband!"